Analysis of Ebola Outbreak (2014-2016): Causes, Effects, and Aftermath

This essay examines the causes and effects of the Ebola virus disease outbreak that occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered. The outbreak, caused by the Zaire ebolavirus species, spread across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, with transmission occurring through mucosal surfaces, skin abrasions, and parenterally. The essay identifies potential sources of the virus, including various bat species and the consumption of infected bush meat, and discusses the impact of war, poverty, population growth, and weak health services on the spread of the epidemic. The consequences of the outbreak included increased undernourishment, job losses, reduced community cohesion, and compromised healthcare access, particularly for women and children. Furthermore, the essay highlights the long-term effects on survivors, such as physical disabilities, vision loss, and mental health issues, as well as the disruption of traditional African norms and practices. In conclusion, the essay emphasizes the global impact of the Ebola outbreak and the importance of international collaboration in preventing and managing future outbreaks.

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The cause of Ebola, and the effects arising from this disease, during outbreak between
2014 and 2016, and in the years since then.
Ebola virus disease is a very rare but usually deadly infection that is brought by one of the
five Ebola Virus strains. According to World Health Organization, it was first seen in the year
1976 in Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan and thereafter there have sporadic outbreaks.
The West Africa outbreak that occur in 2014-2016 was the largest and most complex Ebola
outbreak since its first discovery (Dixon & Schafer, 2014). Whole Health Organization stated
that it had more deaths and cases as compared to all other combined. It spread between countries
whereby it started in Guinea then moved past land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia (Gatherer,
2014).
The 2014-2016 West African outbreak was caused by virus belonging to Zaire ebolavirus
species. In humans, virus enters through mucosal surfaces, skin breaks and abrasions and even
parenterally. Full genome sequencing of Ebola Virus isolates from Sierra Leone and other
molecular sequencing studies that were done suggested that the one spillover from the reservoir
of wildlife lead to West African outbreak followed by sustained transmission from human to
human. Various bat species are also linked to Ebola virus. Some have been of focus attention
concerning the West African case: the straw-colored fruit bat, the little collared fruit bat and the
hammer-headed fruit bat (Ogawa et. al.2015). Some bats like the straw-coloured fruit bat can
migrate long distances even as long as 2,500 kilometres. Therefore, spread of the Ebola virus
through the bat colonies would have likely occurred from the Central Africa into West Africa
(Leendertz, Gogarten, Düx, Calvignac & Leendertz, 2016). Likewise, the reservoir host may
have contained the virus for some time but the spillover conditions did not occur earlier.

Spread of Ebola virus to wildlife species is seen to have occurred due to eating of fruits that
had been infected with the feces or saliva of fruit bat infected with Ebola virus. In addition, the
hunting of chimpanzee has linked to the spread of Ebola since they could go scavenging from
place to place. Therefore, the consumption of bush meat also caused infection.
War, poverty, growing population and poor health services and other social factors also likely
added up to the unexpected spread of Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. The region has
experienced dramatic growth in population. Therefore, there has been increased rural to urban
migration which greatly contributed to the spread of the endemic Ebola virus. Individuals
infected moved faster from their villages to other parts and this led introduction of the virus into
popular urban centers by human. Travel from affected regions also led to regional extension of
the outbreak.
Intensity and complexity of Ebola outbreak on individual country makes it difficult for it to
handle, it even makes it worse if it’s between three countries, and it requires a coordinated
approach. The movement of goods and people freely in the region and close ties of community
makes it hard to handle the outbreak, it also limits capacity to deal with the outbreak internally in
terms of people, operational, financial and logistic capacity. When the outbreak is not addressed
wholly, the implementation of sustainable developmental goals for example ability to eradicate
poverty and hunger and provision of primary education will be tampered hence people will be
put a risk. The inequitable distribution of human, financial resources, political instability and
weak health and physical infrastructure has limited the response to the epidemic. Due to
ignorance lack of knowledge and ignorance professionals misdiagnose Ebola virus because its
early symptoms resembling other diseases which contributes to silent spread of the disease.
Health workers were frightened to provide care and the infected people were hesitant to report to

the healthcare facilities for treatment. Due to food security impact, prevalence of
undernourishment among the people increased. There was wide spread job loses, reduced
community cohesion and education loss.
The health sector was adversely affected due to high demand, death of healthcare workers,
lack of resources and health facilities closure. Fear of Ebola by healthcare workers led to reduce
in trust in health system. Access to healthcare was also compromised. There was reduction in
utilization of healthcare services (Brolin, Saulnier, Eriksson & von Schreeb, 2016). Women and
children who attended public health facilities for antenatal care, delivery services and
immunization reduced significantly during Ebola epidemic. Very little number of women
achieved at least three antenatal care visits. Vaccination completion during Ebola epidemic
reduced across all vaccine types for example polio, measles, tetanus, hepatitis B and pertussis.
The Ebola virus causes symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache and sore throat and muscle
pain, followed by vomiting and diarrhea, rash and organ failure which causes both internal and
external bleeding. It causes long-term effects such as hair loss, body aches, insomnia, muscle and
nerve damage. Survivors experience eye pain, vision loss, physical disability and loss of
memory.
Many Africans traditional norms and practices were disrupted. Traditional burial rituals
involving physical contact were altered in order to reduce transmission. Traditional healers were
banned to encourage infected patient to report to the nearest health facilities. The family
structure was disrupted due to death of family members. Ebola survivors reported acute fear and
depression. They also were rejected and stigmatized by fellow members of the society.
In conclusion, the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak not also affected those countries or individuals
who got infected with the virus but also affected other countries globally since its spread was

wide and rapid. The effects were felt far and wide and this even led to most countries joining up
to curb the spread of the diseases. Thereafter, several measures have also been put in place by
different governments to help reduce future outbreak of the disease. The World Health
Organization is also working hand in hand with all countries worldwide not also to prevent
outbreak of Ebola virus but also to curb other diseases that might erupt and spread rapidly or
cause high mortality. Despite this, each and every individual should also be on the watch and
join hands health workers in prevention and treating of diseases so as to promote health
worldwide.

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